Vanilla Bean Gelato

Our family Christmas gift last year, that is so weird to say since it was just a couple weeks ago, was an ice cream maker.  It was the same one I believe my sister in law Rachelle uses and makes the best ice cream according to my husband.  Yesterday I started the process to make vanilla bean gelato.   That is correct.   To make this gelato you will need to start it the day before.  I should probably explain what gelato is.   It isn't ice cream first of all.  Why don't I list what gelato is: it is made with whole milk and cream and has less fat because of this.   Ice cream has more cream.  It has egg yolks, and closely resembles a frozen custard in this way.   It is processed in an ice cream maker for a shorter period and is 30-40% air versus ice cream's 80-90%.   It has a matte finish (it isn't shiny like ice cream), and finally it is an Italian desert and tastes so much better than ice cream. Are you interested in vanilla bean gelato? 

 Look at that beautiful homemade gelato. Mangia mangia gelato.

Ingredients for this recipe are: 2 1/2 cups whole milk, 1 1/2 cups heavy cream, 3/4 cup white sugar, 

1 vanilla bean split, 5 egg yolks, and...

3 ounces of olive oil, the secret Italian ingredient.

 Slit vanilla bean, scrape beans and add all the ingredients in your blender except olive oil and 

blend for six minutes, then drizzle in olive oil through the lid.  If you happen to be blending this 

in your Vita-Mix (I know some of you do) then you blend for 2 more minutes on high and 

you will have reached the right temperature.

 For the rest of us, pour the ingredients into a stock pot and put on stove with the burner set to
medium.  Attach candy thermometer and heat ingredients to between 185-195 Fahrenheit.  If
you do have a Vita-mix I envy you and would gladly come to your home and make this in your
blender for you.  As soon as your mixture reaches temperature remove from the stove.

 Pour into a lidded container and refrigerate overnight.

 Pour refrigerated gelato base into ice cream maker and use ice cream maker as directed
by the manufacturer.   Process for 20 minutes or so.

 I processed mine, and as you can see it looks so pretty.  It was soft serve straight out of my
machine, so I also froze it for two more hours.

Again I say mangia mangia gelato, who's with me?

Enjoy!